Love Will Always Find a Way
by Flamepaw
Summary: UPDATED! NEW CHAPTER! Percy dies fighting Kronos before Annabeth gets the chance to tell him that she loves him. She decides to follow him. How? Well, you just have to read to find out. Percabeth and bit Thuke.
1. Love Will Always Find a Way

**HI! I had dream about how the Percy Jackson series was going to end and I thought it was pretty good so I wrote it down. I know it is a very long one-shot but I didn't like the idea of splitting it up because it flowed together, so here it it. It is mostly Percy/Annabeth but there is some Thalia/Luke. I really hope you like it, I worked very hard on this. Please review thank you for reading!**

**(A/N) The Italic words are the character's thoughts**

**Disclaimer: If I was Rick Riordan I would not be a girl and that's just wrong.**

**(A/N 2) I added I new part with Clarisse. I'm still working on slowing down the end parts.**

* * *

Percy Jackson lay in a field dying. His friends, Thalia and Nico, lay next to him, too weak to move. It took all their powers combined to defeat the Lord of Time, to hold him back from destroying the camp that protects their friends. Kronos was being cut up again, with his own scythe, by the Gods as Percy lay here. Luke was dead. They couldn't save him, no matter how much Annabeth had wanted to. Sky, water and earth, the strengths of the Earth, had join forces to being peace to the world. Three children of the Big Three made the choice not one, the prophecy was misread, a mistake that Chiron will never forget.

Percy could feel Thalia roll her head onto his left shoulder, her eyes that were once so electrifying terrifying, had faded to a peaceful sky blue. The storm was over and Thalia could not fight it any longer. A tear dripped from her cheek, she had been here before but this time she would not be alone. Percy took the hand of his friend, his cousin, his sister who helped him learn all of his strengths and weaknesses. She took a deep sigh and closed her eyes for the last time.

Nico took Percy's right hand, ensuring Percy that it would be ok. The boy Percy has once looked upon like a little brother had grow up so much during their last months that Percy could hardly recognized him. Nico had a small smile on his face, he smiled at Percy. He looked so peaceful, as if he were on a train ride home after a long vacation. Percy laughed in his mind. Of course his was at peace, he was going home, to his father. Then Nico's black eyes turned to stone.

Percy looked back up at the sky. The sun was rising over the camp that lay in ruins. It will be rebuilt, stronger and bigger than ever before. Percy was just sad that he couldn't see it. He thought of his mother who tried so hard to save him, he felt bad that he would be letting her down. Poor Grover, he had broken his leg in battle but he was still alive, Juniper would take care of him. At least one of Percy's friends would live to see a new tomorrow, the rest he wasn't sure about. He didn't see any of them during battle.

Annabeth.

Oh Annabeth. Percy could still feel her last kiss upon his lips, a kiss of good luck, a kiss of good bye. It was only their second kiss, but it would also be their last. He had never told her how much she meant to him, how much he loved her. He was afraid, for good reason, that if today went bad that she would suffer. He didn't want her to feel sad and stop living her life and try unsuccessfuly to bring him back, like she did with Luke. Percy was glad that he could lift some grief from her shoulders, some pain. Percy hated seeing Annabeth in pain. He could only hope that when she found out about his death, she would not take it to heart. He didn't want to leave her, he had to. Athena was right, personal loyalty was his fatal flaw, but it did not destroy the world like she feared, it saved it. He wanted to save the world for Annabeth.

Percy could no longer feel his feet. He could no longer lift his hands or even move his eyes. He could feel his heart beat slowly down. The golden sky above him faded and blurred, it reminded him of Annabeth's golden hair. Percy thought of the future they could of had. Full of love, marriage, maybe some kids, all the things he could of have if he wasn't the son of Poseidon, but he was. All the things that would of made him thrown up when he was younger, but now made his heart ache.

Poseidon was wrong; a hero's life was more than just tragic, it was unfair. Why did he have to give up all of his hopes and dreams to save the world? Because he was the hero. Percy remembered what Chiron had told him three years ago after his quest in the Sea of Monsters.

"Humans don't exist on the same level as immortals. They can't even be hurt by our weapons. But you, Percy--you are part god, part human. You live in both worlds. You can be harmed by both, and you can affect both. That's what makes heroes so special. You carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling beneath civilization, the very stuff that makes Kronos stronger. They must be defeated again and again, kept at bay. Heroes embody that struggle. You fight the battles humanity must win, every generation, in order to stay human"

_'You carry the hopes of humanity', not my own hopes but humanity's. My hopes of a family, a place to belong, love; they didn't matter because they were not as important as the hopes of humanity. That good will always win over evil, that they will always be good, kind-hearted people out there in the world, and that… that love will always survive. I could live with that. I could die for that. _

And Percy Jackson did just that.

* * *

Annabeth Chase was being carried by a muscular girl with long, stringy, brown hair.

"Chiron! Chiron!" Clarisse's voice was full of panic as she ran towards the big house.

"Clarisse?" Chiron appeared at the door, he had been busy caring for the many wounded from the battle, "What's wrong?"

"It's Annabeth, she has been poison by… I don't know what- but she's…. she's not well," Clarisse's voice broke.

"Inside quickly."

They laid Annabeth down on one of the bed in the sick room. Her eyes fluttered open.

"What?" Annebeth mumbled, she could barely move her mouth.

"Hush child, it's over, we won."

She smiled in spite of herself. Annabeth's body felt as if it was burning from the inside, as if her blood was turned to lava. It was finally all over.

"Percy?"

"Child, Annabeth," Chiron's voice was hard and cold, "He's dead."

* * *

Annabeth no longer felt hot, instead she felt like she was frozen solid. It was as if a knife was forged from the River Styx and plunged straight into her heart. She wanted to cry, she want to scream, but no water came from her eyes, no sound from her mouth. Water, every little thing remembered her of him.

"Annabeth? Can you hear me?" Grover said pitifully. His voice would have broken Annabeth's heart, that is if it wasn't already broken. He was sitting next to her. "Please wake up Annabeth, I can't lose you too! I know it's hard, it's so unfair, but we'll get through it. Like last time, when we lost Tha-" he blew his nose and surpressed a cry, "Please Annabeth, just be ok."

But Annabeth didn't want to be ok. She didn't want to get over it. She just wanted him...

Annabeth closed her eyes and when she opened them again a new voice was speaking to her.

"It's going to be alright, Annabeth," Annabeth had never heard Clarisse's voice so soft. She a gently hand pass over her face.

"No, it's not," Annabeth choked, her voice sounded so fragile. Annabeth opened her eyes to see Clarisse's staring at her.

"Annabeth?" Clarisse was surpirsed to find her awake but recovered quickly, "Why isn't it?"

Annabeth didn't answered. She sighed and turned away from Clarisse.

Clarisse was silence for a few moments before she opened her mouth, "You can't do this to yourself."

"What?" Annabeth said softly, she looked back at Clarisse.

"Close yourself off."

Annabeth closed her eyes, she didn't want to answer.

"You're faking. I can tell."

When Annabeth didn't react Clarisse got mad. "Get up! Get up now! Come on Owlbrain!" Her silky smooth voice turned to coals. Annabeth still didn't move and that just made Clarisse's rage grow. Clarisse grabbed a hold of Annabeth's arm and pulled her off the bed. Annabeth, too weak from the posien, couldn't support her weight and fell onto the floor.

"What did you do that for?" Annabeth said in shock.

"Because you are being stupid. Do you think you're the only one that lost friends in that battle? Do you think you'rs the only one that misses Percy?" There were tears in Clarisse's eyes, "He helped me when one else would. He was brave and noble and.... He didn't deserve to die. But that doesn't give you a excuse to lie in bed feeling sorry for yourself. Percy won't have wanted that. You should be out there helping the camp recover. Showing the other campers that even though we lost our heros, we still won. The sun is still shining. You should be there for Grover. He needs you. I need you." She bent down next to Annabeth on the floor, but Annabeth couldn't look in the her eyes. Annabeth curled in a ball, hugging her knees. Annabeth didn't want to face the truth. How could the sun still be shining without him? She wasn't ready to face the world; not without him.

"FINE!" Clarisse shouted making Annabeth jump. She turned to leave but stop before she left the room.

"You know what? I once looked up to you. I once wished that I was just like you. Someone that was so selfless and intelligent and brave. I wished had friends like yours, that would give up their lives in a second to save one another. I wished I was so kind and beautiful, that I could get up each morning and look myself in the mirror and tell myself that I was good person. That I could make a difference in this world. But now, I see who you really are." Clarisse looked down at Annabeth, "You're nothing but a pathetic loser."

And Clarisse left Annabeth alone there on the floor.

_Clarisse is right. I am a pathetic loser. I got hurt in the middle of the most important battle in eons. I didn't fight. I was too weak, too slow. Can't Clarisse see that I can't look myself in the mirror anymore? Selfless? Yea right, I don't want to talk to Grover. I has someone to love and would only want to talk about our friends that had past. That's wasn't kind either and beautiful? I'm no daughter of Aphrodites, like...like Silena. Brave? She couldn't even tell her best friend how she really felt about him and now...it's too late._

Annabeth crawled back into the bed.

* * *

"Chiron, what's wrong with her? I thought you said the poison was gone," Grover said pitifully.

"It is, Grover, but she is suffering from another illness, one I can not cure," Chiron said in a sympathetic tone.

"But… but… she will be alright won't she?"

"I don't know, Grover. She has simply has lost the will to live."

_Simply? How is this simple? Didn't they understand? _She had lost everything. First she saw Silena die right before her eyes, she lost Luke, Nico, Thalia, and Per- oh she couldn't even think his name. How can she go on living? They didn't need her. Grover had Juniper, Chiron his camp, even Clarisse had someone, Chris. She was all alone, again. Clarisse was right she was loser.

_I wish I could just die and end this pain in my heart._

'_Is that what you really want dear?' A voice that sounded much like an old kind Grandmother filled my ears._

'_We could grant that for you if that's what you really want,' a different voice said but it sounded much like the first._

'_Yes and it wouldn't hurt dear, just one quick snip,' a third voice, still similar to the first two, added._

'_Could you really do that?" I asked them. Just the thought of it ending lifted a tiny part of the pain from my heart, but not enough._

'_If that is what you really want,' said the first voice._

'_But you must be ok with what you leave behind.' As the second voice talked images of Grover, Chiron, Clarisse, Athena, my half-brothers and sisters, my father, passed through my mind._

'_You will be giving up a lot.'_

'_They don't need me," I said._

'_You will be giving up your future."_

'_A great future.' Once again images filled my mind, images of me graduating college, me outside the next national monument that I designed, me outside a beautiful house in the arms of some unknown man and two blonde kids._

'_No! I don't want any of that. It would be nothing without-'_

'_Alright dear.'_

_A vision of three old ladies filled my mind. One of them pulled out a short string, it was clear and glowed a strange color that I couldn't describe._

'_I hate cutting them so short,' said the old lady_

'_Yes, when they don't have the chance to mature and live,' the second lady agreed._

'_But since you are so sure, my dear. It is after all, your choice' said the third._

'_I'm sure,' I said quickly._

_The third one nodded and took one end of the string; the second old lady took the other end. The first one pulled out a large pair of rusty old scissors and angle them between the string._

'_Are you sure?' she asked_

'_I have never been so sure in my life,' I told her._

_She smiled at me and pressed down with her scissors and the string cut with a loud clear _

_Snip._

* * *

Her second trip to the underworld was no where near as frightening as her first visit was. In fact it was a bit refreshing.

Annabeth stood outside of DOA Recording Studios, it looked the same it did last time, but somehow different, perhaps because this time she was dead.

As she walked through the door she tried to erase her last memory. It was Grover who found her. He had never looked so sad before in her memory, but Juniper comforted him. Annabeth had left before anyone else discovered her death, she was afraid that she would regret her choice.

The trip to LA didn't take very long or perhaps it did, it was very hard to keep time when you are dead. Charon was waiting for her at his front desk like last time.

"Aw Annabeth Chase," he said to her, "welcome back, I hope this time you won't cause another major earthquake."

_I smiled at the memory of Grover, Percy and I and our first quest together. It didn't hurt nearly as much to say his name now. Now that I was joining him, it would only be matter of time before I see him again, he only died a few hours ahead of me._

"No sir, this time I have come for good."

"Good. I hope that a smart girl like yourself remembered your payment."

"Payment? Damn it!" _I couldn't believe it. I forgot to die with a few coins in my pocket. How could I be so stupid? I have gone this way and now I won't even see Percy._ Tears filled her eyes.

"Hush there, hush," Charon said trying to calm me down, "I will you what. Since it was because you and your friends that I got my pay raise I will let cross for free, ok?"

"Oh thank you, thank you Charon." she hugged him and that must have surprised him, not many people would hug the gate keeper of the Underwood.

"Um yea, come along now the boat's filled," he handed her a green boarding pass and lead the way to the elevator, pushing back some freeloaders.

Annabeth could hardly control her excitement as the elevator turned into a boat floating across the River Styx. She was going to see Percy again and she was going to tell him how much she loved him. She would hug Thalia again and Thalia would run fingers through her hair like she did when she was seven. She would be happy to see Nico again, the boy grew on her during last months he could always make her laugh.

"Charon?" Annabeth called.

"Yes dear?"

"Have you seen Percy?"

"Oh yes, he was on an earlier boat with the Ghost King and a girl that was so frightening she scared me out of my wits."

"That's Thalia," Annabeth smiled, "And Nico. Do you think I can meet up with them?"

"Oh, I'm don't think you will be able to do that."

Annabeth's heart broke, at least it would have if she still had a body.

"What?"

"Lord Hades took them aside the second they entered the underworld."

"Why? I thought they only did that with truly evil people."

"Or truly good people, they did a very brave thing they did, dying for everyone like that."

"Yes, it was," Annabeth said lost in thought.

_Great! What do I do now? _Tears started to fill her eyes again. Dying must make you very emotional because Annabeth didn't remember ever being this emotional when she was alive.

"Calm down girl, I 'm sure you will find them again," Charon said, but he didn't sound completely sure.

"Really?"

"Oh sure you will. When you are dead nothing is holding you back from doing anything, except living, and being solid."

They had reach the end of River and Annabeth and the other dead people exit the boat.

"I wish you well Annabeth Chase," Charon waved as she made her way up the hill.

Eveything seemed more solid than it was last time, Annabeth could see the ghosts as clearly as if they were solid. Loud barking awoke her from her thoughts.

"Oh hello Cerberus, sorry I didn't bring a red ball for you, this time." Cerberus lowered his middle head allowed Annabeth to pet him.

"Hey! No petting the three-headed guard dog," one of the guard yelled at her.

"Sorry," Annabeth retracted her hand, "Could you help me, please sir? I'm looking for some people."

"Huff, do you know how many times I hear that every day?" The guard looked curiously at her, "Wait a second, who are you?"

"Annabeth Chase"

"Annabeth Chase? Oh, Lord Hades has been waiting for you," the Guard said hastily.

"Me? Why does he want me?"

"Beats me, but we can't keep him waiting, he's got a terrible temper."

The guard led Annabeth through a secret door in the rock besides Cerberus. The passage way was dark and damp, but was nothing compared to the Labyrinth. Annabeth smiled remembering the first quest she lead with Percy, Grover and Tyson. It was the quest were she and Percy had their first kiss.

"Come along now dear I can't stay here waiting all day." The guard was holding open a door in the passage way, "Right this way, Lord Hades is waiting."

* * *

Annabeth was back in Hades' throne room for the second time in her …, well memory. He was sitting in his throne like he was last time, staring down at her. There was no sign of Percy, Thalia or Nico.

"Where are they?" Annabeth forgot that she was in the underworld, talking to a God that could torture her till the end of the world. She didn't care.

"Who?" Hades didn't seem offended by her lack of manners.

"Percy, Thalia and Nico. Charon said you took them here. Where are they?"

"On"

"On where?"

"On to a new life."

"What?" Annabeth said faintly.

"Those three were remarkably selfless people who bravery gave up their lives to save Olympus, of course I would award them. I couldn't be more proud of my son, or my nephew and niece. We take of our family here in the Underworld."

"Award them with what?"

"A second chance at life, a slightingly fairer one than they had first been given, one with little less pain and suffering and a bit more hope"

"A second…," Annabeth was lost for words, "So they're gone."

"Yes, they will be reborn soon. My daughter joined them as well."

_I couldn't believe it, I came all this way and he is already gone, the stupid Seaweed brain. My heart cried out loud._

"Bianca? What about Luke?"

"Ah Luke, now there's a case. He was kind to you in the beginning and would have gladly given up his life to save Thalia if she would have let him. But pushed by overwhelming grief and abandonment of his father, Luke joined the dark side and almost cause Olympus to fall. Then again, had he not tried to fight over Kronos inside him the three might have not been able to disarm him."

"What will happen to him?"

"I'm not so sure. He is in trial as we speak. Perhaps they will give him a second chance."

"A second chance?"

"Yes, sometimes they give second chances to people we can not decide where they should go. Mostly babies and children, but sometimes to people that have been both equally good and evil during their lives. It makes it easier to sort them, more examples of good or evil. But now, my dear, I want to discuss you."

"Me?"

"Yes, after all you are dead aren't you?" He leaned in as if to make sure that she was really a ghost.

"Yes, sir"

"Well I can't say I'm not disappointed with you, Annabeth Chase."

"Sir?"

"You choose to die. You choose to die over facing your grief. You gave up. Why?"

Tears filled Annabeth's eyes.

"I had nothing to live for."

"Nothing? You call Grover nothing? Does Clarisse, the girl that risk her own life to keep you alive, mean nothing to you? Your father that fought bravely to save you when you were kidnapped by the General and force to carry the sky, nothing? Your mother who gave you life and Percy who gave up his own life to save you…"

"Enough!" Annabeth shouted. She felled down to the dark marble floor in tears. Something clicked in her head. It was what Grover was trying to tell her. What Clarisse shouted at her. She, Annabeth Chase, had made a terrible mistake.

"Is this grief worse than what you felt when you heard Percy died?"

"Stop it!" Annabeth screamed.

"Were you mistaken then? To choose death over life?"

"yes" Annabeth said in a small voice.

"Sorry, I didn't hear that"

"YES!' Annabeth shouted.

"A mistake yes, but not one you can undo."

Annabeth's sobs filled the room, echoing on the marble walls.

"Can't you?"

"No" Hades' voice was cold. "Some would say that choosing to dying is worst than taking another life, a selfish and cowardly thing to do. Even Luke, sicken by Thalia's death, went on with his life, for better or for worst."

"Wh-what are you going to do with me now?" Annabeth cried.

"Well, let's take a look at your life. Although it is uncompleted, for what it was, a good one. But you did have some dark spots. For instance, you ran away from home without letting your father explain his actions. You left him a broken man."

Annabeth folded her legs underneath her; she did not stand up but looked down upon the marble floor and watched a tear fall from her ghostly cheek.

"However, by running away you met Thalia and Luke. You taught them what can be gain by having friends that you can rely on and a family that loves you. You brought them joy in their lives when they had none of their own."

"I-I did?"

"Yes my dear, you fought bravery and without fear to protect them. Most notably the time you fought the Cyclopes in Brooklyn, Thalia would have died if you had not stabbed it with your knife and then she would have never gone on to save Olympus."

"I guess" Annabeth said uncertainly.

"Then again neither would Luke."

Annabeth stay quiet.

"You wanted to stay behind and fight with Thalia on Half-Blood Hill, but listen to her and went to fetch help, which is good, even though it caused her, for lack of another word, first death. You trained hard and sweared that you would give your life to completing Thalia's prophecy."

"How did you know that?"

"I know all about you. You kept going even though you were sadden by Thalia's disappearance, you even tried to help Luke from his depression. I only wished you learned from his mistake, if you did you won't be here right now."

"I'm sorry I was so stupid."

"You are not stupid, maybe unobservant sometimes, but I don't think Athena would appreciate her daughter calling herself stupid. Even the wisest are blinded by love, but it was your wisdom that got Percy so far."

"He could have done it on his own."

"Oh you really think so? Well let's see. If it weren't for your hat and quick thinking Percy would have died by the hands of my Furies on that bus. If you didn't tell Percy how to kill Medusa he still would be stone right now. If it wasn't for your determination and confidence, you three would have never gotten pass Cerberus."

Annabeth couldn't help but smile at the memories of her adventures.

"You saved Percy from being eaten alive by a Laistrygonian and turned him back to human when he was turned into a guinea pig. It was your plan that saved Grover from his fate and received the Golden Fleece that saved my brother's daughter's life. You help rescued my son and daughter from the manticorn and held up the sky to help a friend, even though you were then betrayed by him. You spoke up and defended your friends, Percy and Thalia, and convince the God's council to trust them. You help Clarisse when she needed help even though she was cruel to you and lead an impossible mission through the labyrinth with your head held up high. You comfort my son when he felt like he didn't belong and taught a old man the meaning of being a child of Athena. You reminded Luke who he was and gave him the courage to fight back. Each battle you faced you fought without fear using your wit to survive. In all, I would say you a very good person."

"Thank you sir," Annnabeth said quietly.

"You still don't believe me?" Hades smiled, yes he smiled I guess there's a first time for everything. "You taught Percy to think before he act, which saved his life many things. You showed everyone that a weapon is useless if you do not have the wisdom to use it. And most importantly, you taught people that you need look beyond the outside cover and shied that people put up to defend themselves, and see the soul inside that person. You taught them that the good things count more than the bad because they are more special. You did that with Luke, Clarisse, Nico, even my dog Cerberus. It is because of that Luke fought Kronos. It was because of that Percy gave the chance to Luke to fight back."

Annabeth couldn't stop smiling but the tears rolled down her face.

"And it is because of all of that, is why I am so upset that you choose to die. Not because what you have done but because of what you could have done. You could have been great."

"You're right," Annabeth whispered sadly.

"Well, now it is the time to decide what to do with you." Hades stood up and appeared next to her in human form. He offered her his hand and helped her up. Annabeth wiped her face and stared at him waiting for her punishment, but he surprise her by what he said.

"I can't bring you back to life but I can give up a second chance to fix your mistakes."

"What?" Annabeth said speechlessly.

"I will let you be reborn to another life."

"Like Percy?"

"Yes, but I can not guarantee you will meet him again. I have no control over what life you are given once you leave here."

"But I thought you said you gave them a better life, a slightly fairer one."

"I hope I did, but I do not know for sure. The chance that they will even be born a half-blood is very rare, to be born a half-blood with a prophecy that says that they will decide the fate of the world for a second time would be one in a zillion. Then again with Percy's luck…"

Annabeth laugh for the first time in a long, long time.

"What do you say? Will you be reborn, although all your memories will be erased? That is until you return here. If you do will this time and complete one more good life you will be let into Isles of the Blest."

"What's my other option?"

"Well, since you seemed to have learned your lesson I will let you into Elysium."

"Really?" Annabeth looked surprised.

"Yes, it is your choice."

_My choice again like when I was choosing to die or not. This time I will not be choosing the wrong answer, I was wiser now._

"I choose…"

* * *

New York didn't change much over the next sixteen years, Camp Half-blood was rebuilt bigger and better, and the Gods still ruled over America. But this didn't matter to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and their four children. They had just move to New York from LA because Mrs. Johnson got a new job teaching Greek mythology at NYU. Mr. Johnson was a video game designer but he could work anywhere. At first the children, two boys and two girls, were upset over the move, but they soon grew to love New York. The children shared their parents black hair but they all have different eye colors.

The four siblings were enjoying a nice sunny day outside their new house, since they were now banned from the house until farther notice. You see when they moving in, Peter and Tracy got in a fight over which rooms they would have and Tracy push Peter into the kitchen and he sort of fell onto the facet causing a little ((major)) flood on the first floor. This made the electricity of the house to short-circuit causing the entire neighborhood to have a black out. Yea, nothing says welcome to the neighborhood like forty angry family without power at your door.

Anyways after their parents stopped yelling at them and they were all banished to the front yard, until they got everything cleaned up, Tracy and Peter began their fight again.

"Great job, idiot," said Tracy, the oldest girl at age fourteen with short black hair and bright blue eyes. She pushed her brother down the three steps in front of their house. Peter was the second oldest and was twelve. Like his sister he had short black hair but he had bright green eyes instead of blue.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Peter said catching his balance before he fell.

"Because it is all your fault that we are stuck out here all day and all the neighbors hate us."

"My fault! You push me!"

"Yea, well you should have let me have the window room."

"Why should you get the biggest room?"

"Because I'm the oldest."

"And the ugliest"

"That's it! You are so asking for it, punk." Tracy tackled Peter and had him pinned to the grass in no time. Peter tried to kick her off him but it was useless.

"Get off me you big, fat monster!"

"Not until you admit that I am far greater than you in everything and that you are nothing but a stupid boy."

"No! I'll never yield!" Peter shouted bravely but his sister just sat down on him.

"Fine!"

"Stop it you guys! We will get in trouble again!" Bella shouted at them. She was the third born. She was ten years old with long black hair and dark eyes.

"Get off of me, Tracy! You are crushing my ribs!"

"No I'm not! And don't call me Tracy! My name is Thorn," Tracy said proudly.

"Really?" Nick, the youngest with black hair to his chin and black eyes like his sister, Bella, he sat down on the grass near where Tracy was sitting on Peter and dropped his army of action figures. He was only eight years old and loved playing battle with his little figurings.

"Don't be so gullible Nick, her is name Tracy it has been since she has been born," Bella crossed her arms, "Come on Tracy braid my hair for me, please?'

"Can't you see I'm busy? One: I braided your hair yesterday and two: MY NAME IS NOT TRACY!"

"Oh," Nick said confused but he turned his attention to his little plastic skeletons, "Serve me! Die! Die! Die!"

"Tracy is the name of stupid girlie cheerleaders. Do I look I like a stupid girlie cheerleader?"

"No, but you do look stupid enough," Peter muffled under Tracy's weight.

Tracy hit Peter in the head, "My name is Thorn. Thorn is a much cooler name."

"Your name is Thorn?" said an unknown name behind them. A tall boy with short-cropped sandy hair stood behind the gate that outlined their yard.

"My name is Lucas, I live across the street with my mom and dad."

"Oh" Tracy blushed, she quickly got off Peter and brushed the grass off herself, "Um..."

"Hi! I'm Nick!" Nick bounced up went to the gate.

Lucas smiled friendly, "Hi Nick and you are Thorn?" He smiled at Tracy.

"Actually it's Tracy"

"Tracy, that's a nice name."

"Yea, I love it too."

Peter laughed while he stood up but when Tracy heard him she pushed him back down.

"I'm Bella and that's Peter" said Bella.

"Nice to meet both of you."

"How old are you?" Tracy asked.

"I'll be fifteen next September,"

"I'm fourteen too!" Tracy said a little too quickly.

"Nice. So you are the guys that caused the blackout?"

Tracy blushed, "It was Peter's fault."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Hush you two," said Bella.

Peter coughed something that sounded a lot like 'not' but the rest ignored him.

"So have you seen the city yet?"

"Not yet"

"My dad works at the Empire state building, if you want I can you take you the very top later today."

"That would be wonderful!" Tracy smiled.

"But Tracy you are afraid of heig—ouch!" Bella began but Tracy stepped on her foot.

"So how old you are?" Lucas looked at Peter.

"Twelve"

"Really? You are the same age as my cousin. She and my Aunt lives with us. Hey Abby come over here!" Lucas yelled across the street to a girl that they hadn't notice before stilling on a pouch swing in front of their house. She was reading a book but looked up when his cousin called her. She had long blond hair and starling grey eyes; she crossed the street and stood next to Lucas.

"This is my cousin, Abby. Abby, Peter is the same age as you."

"Really? It's nice to meet you." She held her hand to shake Percy's, but Percy just stared at her.

"What?" Abby sounded annoyed.

"Do I know you?" Peter asked, he looked at her a little lost.

"No, I don't think so. I have lived in New York my whole life, have you ever been to New York before?"

"No, I lived in LA my whole life."

"I have never been to LA."

"Strange"

"Would you two like a moment alone?" Tracy teased.

Peter blushed and was about knock her down when Abby opened the gate Tracy was leaning on. Tracy fell to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Lucas offered Tracy a hand up.

"Um yea…" Tracy's face was bright red now.

"Oh yea, I can tell we are going to be great friends," Peter told Abby.

She smiled back, "I would like that."

And they were.

They stayed best friends all during their school years and their friendship grew to love because some unknown force, greater than the Gods, pulled them together.

After all, love will always find a way.

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**That's it! I woke up in tears and I love this story so much. I really think it is the best thing I have ever written. I hope you like it too. I will give you a cookie if you read the whole thing in one sitting and reviewed. Please review I would love to hear what other people think of my ending to one of my favorite series.**

**Thank you again,**

**~Flamepaw~ **


	2. Friendship Will Always Find a Way

**Here I am again! Since I loved the last story so much I came up with a side story with it. It's not as long as the other one, but I still think it's good. I don't know if there is going to be any more chapters, but I won't say never. I really hope you like this one. Please review and tell me what you honesty think. I really like getting reviews because it helps me improve my writing, so review please :) SQUEE! **

**(A/N) Yea you all got the characters right. Peter=Percy, Tracy=Thalia, Nick=Nico, Bella=Bianca, Lucas=Luke Abby=Annabeth. Disclaimer: Do I need to say it?**

**(A/N 2) I fixed some of the grammer errors and added a few words.**

A ringing bell echoed through a plain street of New York City. Children piled out of a middle school, leaping in joy for the freedom that each Friday brought.

"Just five more minutes…just five more… they always wait for each other." Grover mumbled to himself. He was hidden inside a large trash bin across the street from a middle school and elementary school. He stood upon layers of rotten food and failing report cards. His head propped open the lid.

"I don't have to wait… I don't have a problem… no problem. Me? No problem… I just…" He scanned his view, "I just… thought that tree over there needs protection and… you know ever little part counts…. Oh! What I'm kidding myself for?" Grover sighed and released his grip of the side trash bin causing him to slide to the bottom of the trash heap. He cursed the person who threw away a perfectly good tin can and took a bite of it absently mindlessly.

"Face it Grover! You're sitting inside a trashcan, talking to yourself! You know why your here, why you have been visit here every weekday this month. If Chiron ever found out…," he shivered, "Well it's not like he's can prove it's them. I don't even know for sure…but they just look so much like them…"

Grover thoughts were interrupted by the voices he was waiting for; his hyper animal's ears pick them up from across the street. He stuck his head out once more to see for sure. "Yep, it's them." A girl, that looked the age of fourteen, sat down on the bench under the tree Grover wanted to save. She had short spiky black hair tied back with a headband with lightning markings on it. She wore all black, punk looking clothes and had a black ipod in her hand. She put one earpiece in her ear and offered the other one to the short blond hair boy standing next to her. He took it, putting it in his ear, and sat down next to her.

Grover tightened his grip on the trashcan side when the door of the middle school opened again. Two kids, about the same age, walked out and sat down on the edge of the fountain nearby the tree. The boy and the girl waved to the two sitting on bench, who waved back before turning back to their music. Grover was too focused on their appearance to notice what they were saying to each other, but they were laughing. The girl had long curly blond hair that she had tied back in a ponytail. She said something to the black haired boy sitting next to her and laughed some more. The boy used his hand to splash the girl with some water from the fountain and laughed back.

"It has to be them... it has to be... his green eyes… her grey eyes… it's them! But how can it be? Wake up Grover! Wake up!" Grover once again let go of the side, sliding back to the bottom. "It's been fifteen years! Fifteen for goodness sake! And look at yourself! You're sitting in a trashcan stalking six kids!"

He shook his head and placed his face into his hands. He was supposed to be helping Chiron look for Half-Bloods, their number had significantly lowered ever since the war and the other satyrs were having no luck bringing them up. So, Grover volunteered to take some time off, saving the wild and passing on the word of Pan, to help Camp Half-Blood. But instead of finding new Half-Bloods, he found six old ones; at least they looked like six old demigods… six dead demigods.

A second bell woke Grover from his memories. Out of habit, his poked his head out just in time to see the elementary school kids pour out of the building. The four kids Grover have been watching stood up when two similar looking kids joined them. The smallest of the six, a young black hair boy, jumped up and down, rapidly saying something to the boy that was sitting on the fountain. The new girl, who had long, black, braided hair, rolled her eyes. The oldest girl shouted at them to hurry up and together they started to walk down the street. Grover waited until they disappeared behind the corner before he climbed out of the trash bin.

Here he was again. Grover was sick this. Sick of lying to Chiron about where he was. Sick of abandoning his duties to Camp Half-Blood and, worse of all, Pan. Juniper was worried and angry him, probably thinking he was off with some bush, and all he did was ignored her. He even put off replying to Clarisse's letter, who checked in on him from time to time, for fear of telling someone what he has been up to. Shameful, that's what is was. It's not possible. For Gods sake, he was there at their funeral. He saw her there on that cold bed. He had been the one to find her, lifeless. But for some reason he wouldn't connect the two. He wanted them to be alive again, so they could go back to the good times when they were off having quests. He didn't want to face the truth. Grover had to make a decision. Should he follow them? (Again) What then? Should he try talking to them? Were they them? Would they recognize him? Fear had kept him from acting so far, but he knew he had to do something soon. But he was afraid that he had been getting his hopes up. "Come on Grover, be brave!" He sighed to himself and crossed the street.

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Grover followed the six to a small suburban street outside main New York City. The two from the fountain walked hand in hand behind the rest. The younger two tried balancing on the edge of the curb, each trying to knock each other off. The oldest two were still listening to music on the girl's ipod. When they reached a large blue house, the youngest two ran inside followed by the two oldest. The short black haired girl shouted to the other two, who were crossing the street to a yellow porch house. She shouted something about not being late for dinner and went inside. 'Perfect' Grover thought, 'I can talk to them alone.' They dropped their backpacks on the ground outside the house and climbed the porch stairs. The blond girl sat down on the porch railing, letting her legs swing while she talked to the boy. Grover stood across the street, the two were too busy to notice him staring. Grover took a deep breath and said a silent pray as he crossed the street. The boy noticed Grover when he reached the curb, the girl then stopped talking to see what he is looking at.

"Hello," the boy said politely, "Can I help you?"

"Ummdoyouummknowmeummpercy?" Grover mumbled the words together.

"Sorry, I didn't catch any of that." "Are you Percy?" Grover spat out. 'Please! PLEASE! Be him.'

"No, my name is Peter."

Grover tried and failed to hide his face of disappointment. He turned to the girl, "Is your name Annabeth?"

The girl looked nervous, like she didn't trust Grover. She didn't trust Grover! Grover who had know her since she was seven. He look broke Grover's heart but he had waited to long to quit now. Grover guessed she had good reason. He had grown up a lot over the decade. He no longer looked like a middle school kid, more like a man right out of high school. He had on his usual jean pants and a "Hug Me! I'm Irish!" T-shirt on. His goat feet were hidden in running shoes that still made him walk funny and he wore a black Jazz hat to conceal his horns on the top of his head since they no longer fit under a baseball cap.

"Her name is Abby," Peter answered for her since she seemed to be incapable of speech at the time.

"Are you sure?" Grover knew this was a stupid question, but he didn't let go of his hopes.

"Yes, unless my named changed in the last ten seconds."

_'Well he has Percy's sense of humor. Maybe if we keep talking they will start to remember,'_ Grover thought.

"Peter?" Abby said quietly, but Peter ignored her.

"Do you know me?" Grover asked twiddling his thumbs.

Peter looked at him for a while and then answered, "No, I don't think so. What's your name?"

"Grover Underwood," Grover pronounced his name slowly as if that would help.

"No, I don't know a Grover or any Underwoods."

"Peter," Abby jumped down from the railing and tugged on Peter's arm.

"What?" He said looking annoyed.

"Let's go inside," she gave a nervous look at Grover. Grover couldn't believe it, Annabeth would never be scared of him.

"Why?" Peter said completely unaware.

Grover smiled at their interactions, which he probably shouldn't have done because it freaked Abby out more. _'Same old wise Annabeth, same old clueless Percy_.'

"Sorry, my mom wants us inside now." Abby said wisely. She grabbed Peter's arm and pulled him towards to front door.

"Are you sure you don't recognized me? Maybe a younger me?" Grover said desperately.

Peter took one last long look at Grover, "I'm sorry, no." He really did sound sorry, like he wanted to know who Grover was, but just couldn't remember.

"Sorry, we don't know you and we need to leave now! Good bye,' Abby pulled Peter inside the house and slammed the door shut. Grover stood there on the porch for a while. He was so close. He knew it was them. They looked and acted the same way they did when they Percy and Annabeth, but for some reason they weren't them anymore.

'How could this be possible,' Grover asked himself. He took one last sad look at the door and turned to leave. Grover knew it was them. He knew it deep down in his heart. He would be back. He would find a way to make them recognize him. He would get all them to recognize him: Thalia, Luke, Bianca, Nico, plus Percy and Annabeth. He will find a way. Maybe he would ask Chiron or Clarisse for help…or maybe not. Maybe he could ask Hades if he knew anything about this. He had to believe that there was some hope left. He had to believe that their friendship was strong enough. He had to believe that friendship would find a way.

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**So? What do you think? It's not as good as the last chapter, but I still like it. If you liked it too please review! FIGHT EVIL! READ BOOKS!**

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